The Falling Angel
by wizzerl
Summary: Max and the flock go to Hogwarts for protection against an unknown enemy.Takes place at the end of Max.Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride or Harry Potter**

It was a hot sun-shiny day in Hawaii. Max and the flock were flying over the ocean .Salty winds whipping at their feathers so that they rippled and shone in the sunlight. Total wobbled as he flew still not flying to well. Max and Fang exchanged excited looks at one another. They were planning on going to this sea side buffet after they met with Jeb who apparently had some big news to tell them. They were told this about an hour ago. Jeb had wanted to see them right away, and to Max that was whenever she wanted. So now they were flying not a care in the world. At first glance that's what you'd see. But these six kids and one dog had been in too many fights and crazy situations then you could count. Everyone was after them and it seemed over and over that that's how it was going to stay no matter how many times they tried to run and hide. They were always found and in many cases almost killed. They'd been tortured and put through test after horrible test to see just how far they'd go. Every time Max and the flock came up on top to prove that they could beat the system .Though now after what seemed to be a great victory after saving Max's mom and finally getting back on dry land to only find out that they had more enemies then friends now. It was enough to make your whole world topple over and break into a million little pieces. But we're talking about Max not your average mutant freak.

Then after two hours of flying and games in the sky they landed on the military base that Jeb was staying at until they (the flock) left. There had been countless arguments and discussions about why Jeb should stay at all but was told he could stay for a while. Or until Max decided he should leave by dropping him off at a deserted island somewhere.

When Max walked in Jeb was not in a panic as most adults would be if a child they had told to meet them two hours ago didn't show up. Instead Jeb was calm and almost a little happy. He expected us to be late. Max thought. He'd probably anticipated something like this. This put Max in a mood not even Jeb could smile about. Jeb sat down in a soft chair and the flock sat in the chairs facing him a table in between the two.

"As you already know you have all been to many schools (the whole flock shuddered at the mere name) that haven't worked out too well. This is mostly because the school's security wasn't good enough to protect you. "Jeb said basically restating what every adult tried to do too them put them in a school to "teach" them and help give them "goals" and whatever other crap they forced down your thought in mushy horrible tasting words that seem to never go down no matter how much water you drink.

"So I have found the perfect school for you. This is school is very good. It has a good staff and an amazing headmaster. The security is so good that I had trouble finding it. Let alone look inside."

"No" was Max's only answer. "No you know what schools have done before they've stuffed us in uniforms and shoved whatever they can at us before were almost killed. Every time you say "this is the real deal kids" it never is Jeb. So you just have to deal with the fact that school is not the answer for everything." Max was not a kind person when it came to Jeb or adults for that matter: Any kind of thing that bound her or kept Max away from doing what she wanted, was basically Max's worst nightmare, next too dog crates, and small spaces.

"Max you don't understand-"Jeb almost whispered trying to calm Max down. "This school has been attacked before and it has come out fine. The real reason this school is so protected is because the students are there to be taught how to defend themselves. Not in just the normal fighting but it"…Jeb paused in wonder."It's amazing. The headmaster is very picky about his students I was able to get him to except my terms." Jeb was beaming at Max and the flock. Obviously he was excited about this new school.

"Jeb I don't even need to tell you how many times we've been promised security and safety. Now you think we'll be dragged into this again?" Max stood pushing her chair out from under her. Gazzy who was sitting next to Iggy tapped him on the back of his hand twice. The rest of the flock stood. They all turned and left the small stuffy room.

"Who does he think he, is trying to get us to go to some school!" Max was extremely angry now. Fang saw this coming and so came up to her dressed in his dark clothes as usually. He grasped her hand in his cool one. This was enough too cool her down.

Two hours latter Max and Fang were on a date why the flock was at the navy base. They were at a secret secluded beach that one could only swim or fly too. The forest that separated it was almost impossible to penetrate. So they sat there drinking; eating coconut and looking at the stars. Then just like that, with the waves and the fresh air; the comforting cent of the tiger lily's blooming nearby; Fang kissed Max and just like that Max melted like butter. This was so perfect so amazing it was as if she'd been given water after crawling through a desert dying of thirst. Her eyes lit up and all was right. They were a perfect fit for each other. Then as usual this perfect moment collapsed around them.

A chopper out in the far distance could be heard, about a quarter of a mile off. This wasn't just any chopper it was big and was coming fast. Bullets soon peppered the ground. The chopper's blades were spinning and whipping the sand around them into whirlwinds. The chopper shot at them now, only a couple yards from Max and Fang. They instantly jumped to their feet sill a little dazed from the kiss. Max didn't even have to say anything. The two jumped, spreading their wings; heading for the Navy Base hoping against hope that the flock was ok.

At the Navy Base, the flock, as soon as Max and Fang left, went on to do the things Max would usually go into a huge rant about. Gazzy and Iggy went to making a bomb out of their floss, lunch trays, and spoons. Nudge was once again trying to make her blue and khaki uniform stylish. Angel was playing poker with a poor trainee, a pile of bills next to her. All of these things would make Max furious or laugh at except for Nudge who doesn't dare to deify Max. Total was in a caught sleeping lazily lounging about like a cat instead of a dog. Then without warning Iggy looked up sharply. Soon dropping what looked to be a bent spoon welded to a tray melting all over it in oozing steaming streams.

Then in a blast of red light the small hut the flock had been living in exploded. Iggy began to scream out orders, the trainee slowly sneaking away.

"Angel, Total, Gazzy and Nudge up and away now!" the flock followed the orders. Total began spreading his small black wings clumsily. Just as ten people casted in shadow once again shot a red light that almost hit Iggy. The flock was soon in the clear night air, flying as fast as they could, bolts of red streaking past them. Then there was a shriek from behind Gazzy. He turned around just in time to see Angel, her wings unmoving plummeting to earth.

Gazzy folding his wings tight to his back shot down like a rocket. He was nothing but a blue streak in the night sky. Faster and faster Gazzy fell. He reached out his arms out to catch the falling Angel. No matter how fast he fell, Angel was faster. The two were almost to the ground now, rushing up towards it. Then Gazzy got a hold of one ankle before Angel hit the ground with a gut turning crunch. Blood spattered the grassy field in which Angel had fallen. The crisp night air blew lazily as there was not a sound. Not even the crickets sang a sad song for the dead beautiful Angel.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride or Harry Potter**

Max flew past Fang in a blur of color, using her power of unnatural speed. Something didn't feel fight in her gut. Something was very wrong.

As Max flew over the island that was so breathtakingly beautiful in daylight, she began to scan the ground and the sky for anything. There was a flash of red light in the navy Base only about twenty yards below her. Max poured on the speed faster she flew begging her aching wings to go just a little farther. Then Max saw five figures fly into the sky their wings pounding the air to give them lift. Max felt relief for about a second as blast after blast of red lit the dark sky like fireworks on New Year's Day. Max slowed down for but a moment to catch her fleeting breath. In that very moment there was a streak of red across the sky. Then there was not even a scream as the smallest figure fell to the ground. Another winged figure saw this and dove after it begging to go faster than gravity itself. Max was filled with anger and worry. She was flying faster than ever thought possible, Max dove her wings moving in powerful arcs. Max didn't even think of the possible collision. She didn't have any thought, she was filled with adrenalin and tears streaked her face as she flew. Crying was something she rarely did. But if one of the flock was in a danger they could not get out of and not even Max could save them was more sadness than any person would wish for their most hated enemy. The flock was like Max's own children. She cared for Angel especially because she'd taken care of her since she was a baby. Angle was her whole world. If she was gone then that would collapse. Max knew that small figure was Angel. Her white wings reflecting the moon light as if to prove that she was an Angel. Max was now a yard away from her, but Max wasn't fast enough. The figure above Angel barley gasped her ankle before she hit the ground with a horrible crunch. Max flew all the faster begging her wings begging whatever there was to keep Angel alive. Hoping agents hope that somehow she would be alright.

Max landed in the small grassy clearing next to Gazzy who was kneeling by Angel. He was tearing his jacket in strips to place on the wounds. Max began to do the same. Not wanting to look at Angel. Not wanting to see. Only five minutes later Fang appeared beside them along with Iggy and Nudge. Just as when Fang was injured on the beach the flock made a pad that they pressed into the wounds. The wound was so bloody. Max was stone cold not wanting to let this happen, wanting to be anywhere but here. Turn her over" said the voice in Max's head. Max did. There on Angle's back was a burn from the center of her back, the shirt and jacket torn to shreds leavening a gaping hole. Angel's back was red and raw. The flock was sigh lent, as if not wanting to wake a sleeping child, the burns where so bad. Then it was as if the sound was turned off. They were in a sigh-lent movie. The whole Navy Base was there. They placed Angel on a gurney, taking her away. Max can barely remember the events after that. She agley remembers protesting screaming mixed with tears. She didn't want to accept it. No one did. Max remembers being held back by Navy Base personnel, as she screamed as if she was on fire, as Max begged for Angel to wake up, to live once more.

The flock had known all their lives that they were destined for a life of running and hiding. They would never have a moment's peace. Their lives were meant to be destroyed by the people of this world that were greedy and unkind. No matter what happened or where they ran they would be found. They would never live as people should. Now they paid the price for trying to redefine such laws.

Angel died that night. Her blond curls stained red. Her white wings folded around her like a blanket worming her from the cold, her eyes filled with not terror but peace. Finally one of the flock would find peace, if only it could be found in something else but death. Then maybe they could live as a family not a flock.

The flock woke in a hotel room that had a view off towards the ocean. The bright sunshine seemed to be mocking the death on Angel. The people lapping down below on the beach seemed to be calibrating her death. It put the whole flock in a worse mood then they already were. But this wasn't the whole flock, it never would be. The flock was missing one person, one wonderful beautiful person.

The flock wondered about the hotel then outside, then the Navy Base. No one spoke to them or even looked their way. As if they set off alarms to not. When they reached the Navy Base there was not a sound. Not even the ocean moved as they walked to the mess hall. There, the flock for once in their lives, was not hungry. There was a hunger in them that no longer could be satisfied. So what was the point in even trying anymore? Angel was the rope that held them together. She somehow got them to go on the right path. Somehow she always knew, like when they left D.C Angel said to go to Florida. Or when she somehow knew that the password for the A.T.M machine was mother. Somehow Angel held all the answers. She was their ace in a poker.

Even for Jeb it was hard. His eyes were rimed with red from crying. His hair was untidy his clothes were stained. He didn't even say a word as he passed them in the mess hall. Not a word of comfort or understanding. Thought Max hated when he did things like that. Almost acting like a father should, she hated it, but now Max yearned for it. For anyone to say it was alright. To say that somehow by some miracle Angel would wake up happy and alive. Max had crumpled, she who had survived so much. To be defeated now after all that had happened. All that had come their way she'd fought. Now she felt as if she was barley living.

This lasted for what seemed to be forever. It was only three days until there was a funeral.

Angel was dressed in white. Her body placed in a white marble casket. Flowers surrounded her. Her blond hair flowed in waves around her shoulders. Her wings unfurled like the night she died, as if to shield her from death. Her hands folded. She truly looked like an angel.

The whole flock was dressed in black.

They all cried. Angel was to be buried in a field of wild flowers. It was all so beautiful and girly. Witch was the opposite of Max in her mind, but matched Angel perfectly.

Total was there too. He'd been so quit. No –one had even thought to find him after that confusing night. It turns out Total had flown away at the sight of Angel's blood, because Angel had rescued him. It wouldn't have been right to see her like that.

After a short service it was time for the flock to say something. First up was Gazzy the only known relative of Angel.

"Angel…was…my only sibling. She was…"Gazzy couldn't finish. He stepped aside. Next was Nudge.

"I-"Nudge couldn't even make it past the first word before bursting into tears. She fell to the ground sobbing. Fang had to come and help her get up to let the next person speak.

"I've never been to a funeral before. But we all knew that someday we would. But for Angel to be the first is unfair. Though who said are lives were fair." It was a very touching speech for Iggy to say. He left crying. Fang was more agents letting your feelings out than Max. But then surprisingly he walked over to the open casket and pulled out Celeste. Celeste was Angel's stuffed bear that she took everywhere with her. Now she'd be with him forever. This was even more meaningful than a speech.

Finally it was Max's turn. She shook her head no. max wanted to say her good buys alone.

They didn't berry Angel. They left the whit closed casket in the field. It was so much better that way. As if she was snow white, too beautiful to berry.

Then one by one the Navy people left. Soon only the flock stood there. Then soon they all had to leave as night began to fall.

The next morning was rainy. Max and the flock were up early, a first for them. Sitting on the dirt floor of their little hut they began to form some sort of plan.

"Look guys we have to keep doing whatever were supposed to do." Even to max that was a little vague. Angel would usually suddenly come up with some random place they should got to. Like Ohio or Taxes, but now there was no Angel to turn to.

"How about that school Jeb was talking about?" Nudge suggested looking hopeful. She loved school.

"No you know how I feel about schools."Max refused.

"Come on Max I sort of want to see how that would work out" said Gazzy in a winy voice.

Soon every-one was talking at once. All but max and Fang saying they should go to the school.

This is just like last time they were invited to go to s school every-one begging to go even though Max was the leader.

"I guess I have no choice."

So the flock went over to Jeb's hut thing to talk to him. When he heard that the flock wanted to go to the school he looked kind of no miserable. He was still grieving Angel.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride or Harry Potter**

**I would like to apologies for my last chapter. I didn't look through it as well as I would had liked to. Sorry!**

"I'm glad that you guys are going because this school is very safe and has great classes."

The flock didn't want to leave right then…they didn't want to leave the resting place of Angel. But sadly they all got on a plane. Not only were they sad for the leaving bit but also for the plane bit. The flock always was in a plane it seemed. They rarely ever got to just spread their wings.

The plane was stocked with food and chips and sodas. Video games littered the floor. It was a privet jet that the flock rode. The Navy Base had grown fond of the flock and had pulled a few strings for them.

Even in their slightly better, depressed state, food and games just didn't seem fun anymore. All the flock did was look out the window. Only eating when the pilot said they should.

Hour's past, Max was looking out the window a sad expression on her face. For Fang it was almost torture to see Max like this. So he stood and walked over to her. He knew that she was taking Angel's death the hardest. Fang sat next to Max and held her hand. This slightly lightened her mood, but it just wasn't enough. Then without warning, a voice different from THE voice and from Max's own wiggled its way into Max's thoughts.

"Don't blame yourself." it said. It was a light hearted voice, soft and kind. Almost like Angel's. This brought even more pain.

"It wasn't your fault Max" it said this as if Max's world hadn't just fallen apart.

"But it was."Max thought." I should have been there. I should have been there to help and to protect her." Max thought she was truly going insane.

"Are you the voice?" Max thought.

"I'm a voice…but not THE voice." It said casually.

"So what are you here for?" Max thought. Are you here to deliver some great all-knowing message?"

"No I'm here because Angel died and I have no one to tell my secrets too."The unknown voice said. Max paused.

"You talked to Angel?"

"Yes. I was the one that told Angel all those things. Like what the password was for the ATM in New York. Or that you guys should go to Florida. All those things were because of me." This was a bit for Max to take in.

"So why are you with me now?" Max asked after a long pause.

"I'm here now because my work isn't done yet."

This seemed to be enough for the day. So max didn't say anything more.

This whole thing shook Max to the core. She'd thought that Angel would have mentioned a voice. Though she might have thought it was a mind she was reading. She didn't want to think about this anymore. So Max lade her head down on Fang's shoulder and fell asleep.

What seemed to be only the next second Gazzy was shaking Max and Fang. Fang had also fallen asleep.

"The plane has landed" said Gazzy. Max looked out the window and saw only forest.

"Where's the school?" or any building for that matter Max thought.

"The pilot said that he can't take us directly there, and that there's only one town that's sort of nearby.

"Well isn't that peachy." Max said in an annoyed voice as she got up from where she sat. When she did this Fang (whose head had been resting on Max's) almost fell over and then woke with a jolt.

"Did we land?" Fang asked.

"Ya…"said Max sill lightly annoyed."The plane is dropping us off in the middle of nowhere. "

The flock moved off the plan in a sleepy hungry bunch. The flock had finally found their appetite and was regretting leaving the food on the plane.

"All they told me was for you guys to fly east, that you'll know it when you see it."

The flock wasn't bothered by theses vague instruction. They'd been wondering around the world with the instructions of "that way" almost all their lives.

So spreading their wings in long beautiful feathery glory the flock took off, leaving the pilot in awe and about to faint.

The flock flew in silence. The whole flock was felling horrible. This whole thing was just one horrible life smashed into a few days. Angel dying was something that the flock had barely even considered. Angel was their little beautiful girl who had always found a way through the maze of their lives. She always had the answers when Max didn't. Now Max knew why. What she didn't know was why Angel had kept this big a deal a secret. Of course she was only a seven year old but still she knew more than most adults. She knew better than that.

"Maybe she was scared."

"Scared of what?"Max asked still getting used to hearing what was so close to Angel's voice.

"She was always different than the rest of the flock. She always had more abilities. You all were always having your minds read by hers. This didn't bother her until I came. She began to see how horrible it was to never have privacy. Slowly Angel began to believe that she was some sort of demon. Not even close to human. If she hadn't died then her heart would have simply stopped."

Max almost fell out of the sky right then and there. Her wings faltered. She dipped about two or three feet. Fang flew next to her keeping his wings in rhythm with hers.

"Is something wrong? Did the voice say something?"Fang said a worried look on his face.

"No…not –sort of."Max said choosing her words carefully. Max didn't want to dig to deep on what was going on in Angel's head right then and there, so soon after her death. Fang nodded. He knew something was up but didn't want to get into it ether. Anything could be troubling Max right now.

About five minutes later a little town cam into sight. It was covered with snow and the roofs were pointed and tall. Children all about thirteen dressed in black cloaks pushed and shoved their way through the crowds of people also dressed in black cloaks.

"What's with the dress code here?" Nudge said looking disappointed. "Those aren't kids from the school are they?"

"They might be." Gazzy said. There was a brief silence.

"I'm not wearing any uniform again."Nudge said in a low grumble.

"Jeb said this school pulled some major strings for us to be here. So we can't complain."Max said to the flock in a motherly tone.

"That doesn't sound like you Max." said the original voice. "Where did the rebellious child go?"Max paused. Where did that fire go? That will to fight to protect? Had it died with Angel?

The flock came over a hill and saw a broken down old shack. A singe hung on the door. It read DO NOT ENTER. In big red faded letters.

"Please tell me this isn't our school!" cried Nudge.

"I thought Jeb said this school was high tech?" The Gazzy said.

"Is something wrong?"asked Iggy.

"Yep." said Max. "Ether this school is a dump, we got the wrong directions, or this school is really good."….

The flock landed on mushy swamp like ground. The door to the "school" was what you know, locked. Max then tried to kick the door in but only came up with a dent in the door. Then Gazzy saw a hole in the rotting wood. Quickly he tried to peek through but found that no matter how he looked the wood would always slide in front of his eyes.

"Hay Max I found a hole in the wood!" Gazzy yelled. Max who had been trying to kick through the door once again walked over to Gazzy,

"You found something?" Max asked

"Ya… there's a hole here …but I can't look through it."

"What do you mean?" said Max back as she looked through the hole. Then suddenly the wood seemed to shimmer in front of Max's eyes. Max stood straight instead of crouching. She went over to another hole and looked through. The same thing happened. The wood just appeared before her blocking her view. Max tried again, and again, and again. Then finely she screamed in frustration, just as the rotting door that Max had tried to kick in, opened.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride or Harry Potter**

The door knob turned and out of the door way came a red haired boy. His face was covered in freckles. He wore a black floor length cloak with a badge that in a big purple letter said "p". It was framed as if it was some sort of boy -scout badge.

"Are you guys the new students?" the boy asked not seeming to care about what was going on.

"Is this…"Max said as she tried to remember what the school was called."…Hogwarts?"

"Ya…are you guys lost? Cuz I can tell you where the nearest town is." Ron said and then thought. These people obviously aren't of the magic typ. He looked them over again. No trunks or books any cages even their robes weren't on.

"No if this is Hogwarts than this is the place."Max said about to just run past the kid or just fly to somewhere else. Ditch this place.

"Ok…I guess…Dumbledore did ask me to get the new students."The boy then started to mumble to himself as he motioned for them to follow him.

When the flock entered the old shack they walked onto a room much bigger than the shack had been. A grand stair case filled the room, lined with soft red carpet. The stairs were made of white marble and the room also had big windows filling the room with golden light. The flock just stood there for a moment and then saw that the boy who'd been leading them was gone. They looked around down one amazing hallway after another and soon found they were lost.

"This place is so cool" cried Gazzy who was looking at a floating candle.

"I wonder how they got them to float." asked Fang as he started to inspect the candle.

"Guys we have to find that kid or someone…"Max trailed of mumbling about how she could get lost with such a good since of direction.

Then just a monument latter there was a loud crash. Max turned around faster than one of her round house kicks to find a suit of armor on the ground in pieces.

Max turned to Gassy surprisingly not mad. Slowly she ran to the end of the hallway looked left her eyes.

"Yak" said Fang

"Well I think the thing opens up."

"What do you mean?" Asked Iggy confused. Max quickly pulled out a slip of paper from her front pocket.

"Before we left Hawaii Jeb gave me this." On the slip of paper the flock saw a map. Rooms labeled and rooms numbered.

"These little boxes are secret passageways. They lead to and from places in the school."

"So that old hag thing is a passage?" asked Gazzy.

"Yup and we can dump this stuff in It." said Max a sly grin playing on her face.

The flock quietly snuck down the hallways until they found the old hag statue. Carefully and as quietly as you can put a suit of armor in a hole they did.

"Well that should do It." said Max a little happier now. But just then there was a crash from inside the hag. A loud voice was heard. Some-one was inside the passageway. Ever so casually Max lifted the hump of the hag lady's back. There inside a little ways down was a figure you could only see because of the candle nearby.

"What the…"Max trailed off as she hosted herself into the passageway.

The passageway was dark you could barely see anything. Even with her raptor vision. This mad Max start to giggle as she imagined a suit of armor come clanging down the passageway towards the boy who now was at her feet, poor kid.

"Are you all right?"asked Max trying as hard as she could to not laugh.

"Ya…" said the boy as he stood up, then almost immediately sat down.

"We should get you…"Max trailed off she didn't even know where she was let alone get some-one somewhere ells.

"The infirmary." said the boy just as he went uncloses. Max nodded and picked the boy up in both arms. Then she looked up. The passage way was stairs until you got to the entrance. The entrance was a straight tunnel up that wouldn't be so hard to climb if it wasn't for the body in her arms. So Max mentally measured the walls. I'll be cutting it close she thought and double checking that the boy was out cold she spread her wings. Thirteen feet of beautiful caramel colored glory the candle light glinted of each feather making them shine like glass. With on little but powerful beat Max came through the whole her wings brushing the sides of the passage walls. This wasn't good quickly Max drew her wings close to her back; the walls were getting narrower as you exited. Max lost the little bit of air holding her up and fell a few feet Max grimaced as she tried to maneuver her way through the small hole and still there was no way to get enough air and still fit. So slowly she and hesitantly she opened her wings to full length. There was a loud snap as the brittle bones in her wings broke to fit in the whole working fast and trying to think straight before and thing ells broke she gave her wings and extra beat and just barley caught hold of the ledge of the entrance. Breathing hard Max hoisted the boy up and handed him to Fang and Iggy who supported him as they tried to follow the confusing map Jeb had given them to the infirmary.

It took about an hour but the flock, plus one student got to the infirmary.

It was a big room with little hospital beds and cartons forming a sort of room for each. Big windows lit the room filling it with big beautiful beams of light. The room was like any other hospital room…but then there's been one thing that seemed off. Then it hit her. Max turned to Fang to tell him but he beat her to it.

"I know this place doesn't smell like a hospital.

Max grinned ear to ear as she realized this. Then almost immediately stopped as she realized a spasm of pain go through her that forced her to her knees. Max clutched her shoulder as she felt the blood pool inside her shirt and through her feathers making them stick together in a blobby mess. Fang kneeled beside her and started to say something Max couldn't hear though the blood pounding in her head.

Why had she even done something so stupid? To hurt her wings because some kid was sneaking around the school. Why hadn't she given it a second though?

At that monument everything went dark.

"Get the nurse…or Doctor Max needs help now!"Fang said to Gazzy "Iggy rip up that curtness or if you can find some bandages." Gazzy came back with a ripped up curtain Fang took it and pressed it into Max's back and held it. Soon it was seeping red with blood.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride or Harry Potter**

"She's loosing way too much blood." said Fang just as the boy that had been in the secrete passageway woke up a little dazed.

"What…"said the boy."Did I pass out?"said the boy a little more quietly as he looked around. When he saw Max he hurried to his feet."What happened?" asked the boy to Fang.

"She a….is hurt." said Fang not wanting to give away the whole wig thing.

"The boy reached into his robe pocket and Fang picked Max up and took a few steps back hesitantly. Fang didn't trust this kid. When the boy saw this he shook his head and said "I'm not going to hurt her I'm just calling my friend. He said this with a questing look on his face. Then he pulled out of his pocket a stick and a gold coin. He pressed the stick to the coin and there was a bright flash. What seemed to be only seconds latter a frizzy haired girl burst into the room yet another stick in her hand?

"Harry what happened?" she said and then saw Max and ran over, kneeling beside her. Quietly she began to mumble something under her breath waving the stick in intricate caracals. Fang tried to tell her to stop but his mouth wouldn't open. No matter how hard he tried only grunts came out.

Then in horror Fang saw that Max was glowing slightly. _What where they doing to her? _Fang thought. Then suddenly there was silence. The frizzy haired girl stood and walked over to the boy. She started to talk to him in a soft rambling whisper. You could almost tell by the look of the boys shocked face that they knew something and that this was bad.

Then just as Fang was going to run out of the place bracing himself why signaling to the rest of the flock, the big oak doors opened with loud bang. There in the door way stood tall old man with half moon shaped glasses. He wore long blue robes that lightly brushed the floor. He walked in a firm sort of way and also at the same time he walked very gracefully. When he came to Fang he smiled and then spoke.

"I didn't want for us to meet under these circumstances but it seems this is an emergency."

"Professor Dumbledore I tried as much as I knew but the bone structure is …odd."

"Yes, thank you for telling me." Dumbledore then went over to Max and for once Fang didn't flinch when a stranger came over to him. This person was so strange and odd but he felt he could trust him. Fang handed Max to Dumbledore and he then closes his eyes as he started too concentrated very hard. In a mere second Max began to gasp and choke.

"Arrrggg." she groaned." What happened?"

"You passed out." said Fang smiling. He was so happy she was OK.

"Yep that happens when you're in pain." She said smiling but then wincing as she lay back in Fang's arms asleep.

"Professor I have some questions."

"Hermione not now." Dumbledore then snapped his fingers and was gone.

"Hay I thought the castle didn't let you evaporated inside."The boy asked Hermione

"I don't know how he dose but he can also conger food. I'll never figure that out either."

The two then looked at Max and Fang.

"So how did she get hurt so badly?" Hermione asked. Fang was sigh- lent.

"Did she fall or get caught between a spell?"

"No" said Fang quietly. "No she was trying to get out of trouble." He said this smiling. "Is there somewhere we all can sleep?" he would just forget she said spell and move on.

"Ya" said the boy. "There's a room behind the great hall. I'm sure Dumbledore won't mind."

So looking a little skeptic the flock and Fang holding Max followed the strange called Harry through a huge dining hall and pass a few doors up some stairs and finely into an empty room. The flock hadn't been too troubled by the lack of beds. They've slept in worst places, but to their surprise Harry took out once again his stick and waved a few times and then, as if by magic five cots appeared. Fang was about to say that they needed six when he remembered that no…they only needed five. Then Fang gently put Max on a cot. They bumped fists an all fell asleep.

The flock awoke the next morning to a lot of hustling a bustling outside their door. When they opened it and walked down satires and hallways finally, after getting lost a lot, got to the dining room, where hundreds of kids now sat and ate at four huge tables. The smells of breakfast were over powering as they walked to the fifth table which was not filled with kids, but adults. They looked over the feast with an eye of amusement. As if it was funny to watch kids eat.

"I was wondering when you would wake up!" said a familiar voice.

"Hi! Professor Dumbledore!" Max said just barley remembering his name from the night before.

"Why don't we announce your arrival?"

"Announce? What do you mean announce" but Dumbledore had already stood.

"Students of Hogwarts I would like to show you are new students!" claps were heard as he said this.

"They will now be sorted. Please all teachers excuse this but calluses will run a little short today. Even louder hoots and yells were heard from the students now. Then a teacher who had spectacles at the end of her nose came with and old battered hat and then waving her stick a stool appeared. Now Max and the flock were scared. Just when they were ready to leap from the window behind them Dumbledore said. "Max, why don't we sort you first?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride or Harry Potter**

**Authors notes:**

**I'm sorry it's been so long since I posted! The last chapters were confusing so, just ignore those. ****Thanks for reading the new chapter! This chapter May be short but it makes a lot more since.**

Max was hesitant as she walked up to the three legged stool. She sat down and adrenalin started to pulse through her and she was about to jump out of the chair when the woman with the glasses came holding a bettered old hat. Before Max could protest the hat was already on her head.

It felt as if some-one was sifting through her head. Like sand slowly falling. She couldn't think fast enough. All her thoughts came slowly as if it was wading through thick syrup. Then a voice that she was not familiar with, sprung into her mind. The voice was not like her other ones. It was very clearly a man speaking to her, unlike the other vices where you could never tell. He said

"Max, you have been through much haven't you? All you want is time to relax and time alone. This whole school may seem confusing, but you will do well here. It is obvious where I should put you."

There was an ear splitting cheer from one table as the hat said the final word aloud, Gryffindor.

As the rest of the flock got "sorted" or at least that's how the rest of the crowed called it, Max slowly began to realize that she would be alone.

Iggy and Gazzy went to Ravenclaw, Nudge went to Hufflepuff, and Fang went to Slytherin.

After the flock had taken their seats Max was about to stand and protest that the flock should stay together. But just then the food arrived.

Mountains or food appeared on the tables. Smells wafted over Max and she instantly forgot what she had been angry about and remembered how hungry she was.  
Max and the entire flock fell on their food and began stuffing it in their mouths. The rest of the tables they sat at didn't seem to care that they were gorging themselves, because the rest of the tables were, also. After the meal Max felt for the first time, full. She wasn't hungry. It had never happened before. Max then, for a small minute, forgot her troubles as each table was dismissed and was now flowing out of the room in huge waves. Max followed the people she had seen at her table and soon found herself at the end of the hallway. It wasn't a dead end it simply broke off, like the edge of a cliff side. It went straight down. At first she was puzzled and was about to scream in protest, when a stair case began to slowly move towards her. The she looked about the whole room and saw that all the stair cases were moving, to meet the students. She gaped in aw, but when the stair case came to them, Max seemed to move without realizing it and walked down the stairs. Then she came to a crowed of students, dressed in her "house" (as they called it) colors. They stood before a painting. They all were yelling at the same time. All the same word it seemed. Then the painting that Max had been ignoring (she had been ignoring all of them) began to move. Not like the painting swinging from side to side move. The art work was moving. It was a fat busty woman with vines all around her and she began to shout at them as well. Saying

"Will you all just quiet down so I can hear the password?" she said this in a shrill high voice, that made one cringe.

The voices stopped. Then one boy came by and spoke a strange word.

"Lumos"

Then the painting swung open to revile a room filled with table's armchairs and a crackling fire place. All decorated with the house colors of gold and scarlet. Tables overflowed with books and parchment. Candles lit the dark corners and windows were swung open to let in a breeze. The room smelled clean and nice. It smelled of hot days and worm nights, it for the first time in Max's life (other than when she lived with her mom) smelled like a home.

"Max" said a frizzy hair girl who seemed around her age. "Hi I'm Hermione Granger; I'm a prefect here for Gryffindor."

"Umm…Where do we sleep?" said Max as she felt the weight of the food she had eaten.

"The girl's dormitories are up stairs and on your left. We eat in the hall you were just in, for breakfast lunch and dinner. I'll wake you up and make sure you get ready, after that you have to speak to Professor Dumbledore about your classes, anything else?" She asked and Max just shook her head, never had anyone ever spoken so fast and concise to her.

Hermione then happily walked over the two boys. One was the redheaded boy who had "tried" to lead them through the school. The other Max remembered seeing when she had dumped that armor down the old hag. He was the boy she had knocked out.

When he saw her he smiled and gestured her over to them.

"Max I'm Harry and this is Ron, you've already met Hermione. I just wanted to thank you for getting me out of that passage way when I was unconscious .I could have been down there for ages. Hay do you know what it was that hit me? I think it was a loose stone or something.

Max then did something she rarely did, she told the truth.

"Umm….well, my um…brother, had knocked down one of the suits of armor when we were lost in the hallways, and we through it down the hag so we could hide it."

There was a silence for a moment. Then Harry began to laugh.

"You through a suit of armor and it hit me on the head?" He laughed even more and so did Ron and Hermione. Then not knowing what else to do so did Max.

When Max finely went to bed, she was happier than she ever had been. She hadn't even thought of Angel. She hadn't even thought of the flock, because she knew that they were safe. Max fell onto her soft, clean bed and instantly fell asleep. Not even thinking of the strange things that had happened to her that day.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride or Harry Potter**

Max awoke to a loud noise that morning. At first she thought she was still in Hawaii but then she remembered where she was. At first she was filled with sadness. The thought of the lost of her beloved Angel brought a tear to her eye. Then she remembered where she was, and that she had a lot to do today. Max flung off her thick covers and swung her legs from the bed. She stood then fell to the bed once again. She rubbed the spot where she had hit her head on the bar above her bed.

"Max, oh you're already up. We need to be in the great hall in ten minutes. So get dress." said Hermione.

Max was about to protest that she had not clothes (at least not ones that were clean enough for school) when she saw the neatly folded uniform sitting on the edge of her bed. She quickly got dressed and ran out the door. As she relished in the normalness that she did all this. As if she had always done it.

Max followed the crowed to the great hall. It (as the night before) was filled with people. Students sat at their tables and soon food appeared on the table.

Smells like music crowded Max's brain, each melody slowly being consumed by hungry laughing people. Max didn't usually feel like this. So safe, so accepted as if she herself could belong in or to something. She felt not normal but just the same as theses people right here. As if they were just an extension of her flock. Even though she didn't even know all of them, even though any of them could pull out a tazer and wire for her wrists, she trusted them. It was agents all her training, everything she ever knew. She felt so safe here. She felt so happy. She shook her head. She was over thinking this.

Max sat down on a bench sitting next to Harry, Ron and Hermione. Max started to pile food on her plate. Eggs toast and jam. Her cup filled with orange juice. She ate to her hearts contempt. All the while talking to her new found friends, one eye straying every now and then to the flock.

Gazzy and Iggy were whispering about something while shoving their mouth's full of breakfast. Fang was sitting and seeming hesitant to eat. He was talking to a red head (of course) sitting across from him. Nudge was talking to a group of girls. Giggling and whispering.

_There safe, they seem happy._ Max thought as she smiled and turned back to her worm breakfast.

"Don't forget you have to meet with Dumbledore. He's weighting in his office."

"Ya… I remember, umm…how do I get there? I'm afraid I'll get lost again."

"Oh, Harry can take you, right? I'd take you but I need to get to class early so I can ask about last week's homework."

So after breakfast Harry was taking Max to Dumbledore office. It was a long walk and resided in silence most of the way. It was strange though they really, had nothing to say.

"So where'd you come from?" asked Harry as he scratched his unruly hair.

"Umm…I came from…"Max's instincts told her to lie through her teeth, so she did."I'm from, Minnesota."

"Wow, you're American! We don't get many people form America around here, mostly just British kids."

_So were not in America _thought Max slyly. _I will find out where we are!_

Then they arrived to the cement statue of a bird. Harry began to mumble something then another thing. Until the bird began to move, showing a staircase.

Max climbed the stairs and to her surprise so did Harry. She didn't question this but it seemed strange. She climbed and came to a door. Max wasn't bothering to knock, opened to door to revile the rest of rest of the flock. She wasn't surprised by this. The whole flock needed to hear what Dumbledore had to say. Max then sat in one of the leather chairs before Dumbledore, as did Fang. The rest of the flock stood waiting for him to explain as did Harry, as he stayed just out of sight. Hoping that Max had thought he had gone.

Dumbledore looked straight at where Harry was but did not say a word as he began to explain what the school taught.


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm sorry for not posting in a while! I tried to make this chapter a little longer then usually!**

**Just to remind you guys, Max and the flock are talking to Dumbledore!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride or Harry Potter**

"You may have already noticed, but this school is not like most. " Dumbledore said

"What? Like the floating candles or the moving paintings? I've seen weirder stuff but this ranks pretty close to full blown weird." Max said crossing her arms and resting her feet on Dumbledore's desk, scattering papers in every direction.

Gazzy and Nudge snickered at this but the rest of the people, including Harry in his hiding spot behind a bookshelf, stayed straight faced.

"Yes, I know that you have been through a lot and may not like this new home, but I was told that there were six of you. I only see five." Dumbledore asked, not a good move.

Max, in one swift movement, jumped up, one foot on Dumbledore's desk and the other balanced on the chair, a finger pointed accusingly at Dumbledore's face.

"You might think that you get us, that were just some _kids_ that you let here out of the goodness of your heart, but we can take care of ourselves, we always have and will. So you can drop the sympathy act now. Or you can just point to the exit, and I'm gone."

Max's face was screwed up in twisted lines that the flock had only seen once, (when she had found out that Gazzy had used her alarm clock for a bomb). This was about much more that a broken alarm clock though. This was a deal, Max could leave and play it safe, or she could remain at the school and take the chance that things would work out well for her flock, although she had no guarantee.

Max sat down and looked at Fang for help. She was begging; something she never did. Max was strong and she loved the flock more than anything, she couldn't do this to them, not without their consent. If they could have a chance at this place, this miracle of a place, that washed away all the sadness. How could she give that up?

No words from Fang, none were needed, just one look.

"So…what do you want?" Max asked in a defeated tone as she turned back to face Dumbledore.

"I want you to be happy." Dumbledore said folding his hands, his half moon glasses glinting in the sun's early rays.

"Like hell you want us to be happy. I mean about the whole mutant bird kid thing! How can you protect us from every scientist in every global corporation? Do you really have that much power? Or are you the bad guy? How are we to be sure that this isn't some trap?"

Harry in his hiding spot was dumb founded, Mutants? _He thought such things were only real in movies or books. Never had he thought that there really could be…that would explain Hermione's strange reaction to mending Max. There was something different about her, and them, and trap? What had happened that made her so scared of the rest of the world?_

"Max we still haven't gotten to the point. This school doesn't teach normal classes. This school is for young witches and wizards. What I'm saying is that you and your flock will be learning magic. You will have the utmost protection. More than you have ever had. Though we might have to change some things in order to keep your existence a secret"

The flock, and impossible as it was Fang too began to laugh.

"Magic, that is the most outrageous thing I've ever heard of, and I'm a mutant!" shouted Nudge.

"I mean I thought you were crazy for being told what we were and still taking us, but now I'm sure you've lost it." Max said tears forming from laughing so much.

Then In one swift movement Dumbledore waved his hand and the chairs that Max and Fang had been sitting on vanished.

Max and Fang fell with a loud thud and their laughter stopped abruptly. The room was filled with silence. All of the flock stared.

"Do you think that some cheap trick is going to-?" Max said anger filling her eyes.

But Max was cut off as with another wave of Dumbledore's hand Nudge was turned into a brown winged bird that began to fly across the room tweeting loudly.

Max sat wide eyed, mouth agape. She seemed to come to some sort of conclusion.

Max took one shaky breath and stood.

"What if this is (Max waves her hand across the room) real? What if we do… stay? How exactly will you protect us? We do usually get into a lot of trouble."

Dumbledore smiled past his half mooned spectacles as he waved his hand once more, and returned Nudge to normal. Trust me, no human or hybrid could ever find this place. You need to have magic in your blood toe even see it, let alone get inside. The only reason you can is because I let you."

Max wanted to breathed a heavy sigh of relief, but that would be out of character. Max didn't know these people so how could she possibly trust them? No she would have to put this to the test. Though the fact that no one could get in, would be enough for a few days of safety. It was better than hiding in an old subway station.

_Right now something more powerful is looking for us._ Max thought. _We need all the help we can get. Never will they take one of us again, but they will pay for what is already gone. _

"So where is this… protection?" Max asked her hand on her hips a sly grin on her face.

"I want to take it for a test drive."

"It surrounds the entire school grounds and then some. Just keep walking and you'll get their soon, but I would advise that you test this after the students are asleep. We wouldn't want to upset them."

"Hold up. What about this whole magic thing? I mean we don't have that kind of power." Max said this and seemed truly saddened at this news.

"I thought of that and have found a solution." Dumbledore said

"A wand is what a witch or wizard uses to focus their power, to complete a task. A witch or wizard needs a wand that represents the personality of its user. For example: a phoenix feather. Dumbledore held up a fiery red feather. "It represents bravery and strength. When placed within a wand it is able to channel the magic or power of its user. It projects this power and strengthens it to the highest potential of the user.". "This is why Muggles can't do magic.

"Muggles?" asked Max.

"Muggles are a normal human that poses no magic." Answered Dumbledore

"May I continue?"

Max glared but kept sigh lent.

"Mundane power can only accomplish mundane tasks, such as hammering nails or riding a bicycle. But you five are not ordinary. All I need is one feather from each and you can use your own power. You will follow the same laws of power as us, and since each feather is a part of you it will fit your personalities. You will draw on that that has been given to you."

Dumbledore revealed a row of five wands. One was long, jet black, and polished so it shined in the sunlight. Another was thick and rigid; it was mostly brown but white at the tip. The next one was carved so that it was covered with little bumps that looked suspiciously like brail, the wood of the wand marbled black and white. The fourth wand was caramel colored and shorter compared to the others, and what looked like vines was carved into the wood. The last wand was a light orange and misshapen. Knobs and nicks covered the surface.

"Wow…I wonder whose it whose?" said Max sarcastically. She then picked up the second wand.

"You need a feather right?" said Max still holding the wand tightly in her hand.

"Yes…but-"

Before Dumbledore could answer, Max had spread her wings. The shear glory of them put the hidden Harry in a state of awe. His mouth agape he saw Max pluck a single speckled down feather from her wing and handed it to Dumbledore.

Harry was now so astonished that he took an intake of breath.

"What was that?" asked Max, whipping her head around and folding her once open wings.

"I didn't hear anything" said Dumbledore as he nonchalantly waved his hand as if to dismiss the matter, but Harry saw this as a signal and began to edge his way towards the door, now trying to be as quiet as possible.

_She must have amazing hearing!_ Harry thought

The rest of the flock then spread their wings to give Dumbledore a feather. First fang which had mysterious black wings, then Iggy who had a huge wingspan knocked down one of Dumbledore's sneakoscope's'_,_ it shattered to the floor with a crash, making Iggy flinch. After it was repaired Nudge and Gazzy gave him their brown feathers.

When all feathers were collected there was bright flash and the feathers were gone but their wands were complete.

"Max your classes will be the same as Herminie's since she has adopted herself as your tour guide. Your next class will be in the dungeons. Harry will take you there." Dumbledore then told the rest of the flock's classes and who to fallow and that their books would be delivered to them.

Before this was done Harry ran down the stairs as fast and as quietly as he could, all the while cursing himself for never learning that muffling charm.

The rest of the flock picked up their wands and headed for the door.

As soon as Max closed the door to Dumbledore's office Nudge began to talk as if she'd been waiting this whole time.

"Max I don't know why you're acting like this. You're safe and happy and for a while there you weren't thinking about Angel. So why are you wanting to be so skeptic about this place?"

"Did you really think that I wouldn't test this place? Max said in a hushed whisper as she briskly walked. The flock trailed behind her like ducklings to their mother. Fang was next to Max but was barely noticeable. His head was down cast and something seemed to be bothering him.

Max pushed such things aside and smiled when she saw Harry weighting at the bottom of the stairs. Just before the flock went their separate ways Fang said.

"Max when you want to test this thing out?" he asked in a hushed whisper.

"I don't know…how about two? The other students should be asleep by then. Meet me on the tallest towers roof."

Fang then nodded and walked down a dark hallway. When Max turned to Harry he said "Who was that? He came along with you guys right?"

"Uhh…ya he's my um…" Max said, being caught off guard."He's my brother." Max said and then began to walk the long way to potions class, none the wiser of the snake waiting in the shadows.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! Sorry I haven't been updating…yeah; I also want to say that I'm really sorry about all the confusing chapters a while back, please review!**

**Just as a reminder, the flock just got wands, and Max is heading to potions with Harry! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride or Harry Potter**

Max soon arrived at what could only be described as a dungeon.

_I hate being below ground! _She thought to herself, her nerves went crazy as she searched for an exit in vain. All she could see was cold lifeless stone. It ate at her and made her wings ache with the lack of flying.

Harry stayed silent as they walked to the dungeons. How could he say anything? He knew about all of them, how they were not of his kind. They were not even human. _No he told himself. If Dumbledore trusts them then so should I._ But Harry knew that he didn't believe that, Dumbledore had trusted many people that had, in the end, betrayed him.

"This is it, right?" Max asked pointing to a plain wooden door with small letters that said: Potions. Before Harry could answer she burst through the door with a loud gasp. The reason for the gasp was because she saw before her, an ugly creature.

Through a heavy layer of smoke a man with oily hair and a long pointed nose seemed to be reprimanding a boy for something that was belching smoke from what looked like a cauldron. It filled the room up, making it smoky and hard to see even for Max. This put Max in a bad mood.

When the man finally noticed the two silhouettes standing in the doorway, he turned to them. He had to squint to see them clearly.

"Potter, isn't it nice for you to grace us with your presence? Who is this?" The man said sarcastically, adding a very noticeable sneer.

"This is Max Ride." Harry replied dryly, knowing he better speak before she could."She's a new student here."

"A new student," Snape brightened at this and said" Well I am _Professor_ Snape, I'm sure there is an exciting explanation to why it is you're late, on your first day? I'm sure you practiced it on your way here. It is rude to come late."

_This guy is a little bent on the Professor bit isn't he? _Max thought, rolling her eyes all the time.

This man was everything Max detested.

"Ride, Potter take your seats, or I will be forced to make you. I don't want to waste my time listening to a tall tale for why you're late. Either way you get detention." Snape shouted, looking pleased that he had bullied the new student even before she could say a word.

Max was angry. This man, who was not only an adult but also an instructor, was shouting at her like she was a whipped dog. As if that could faze her, but he made her skin itch uncomfortably and her eyes felt too warm.

In the haze that had settled over the room Max could see something happening. Smoke was swirling, something was changing, moving, but she could only see the dark silhouette.

Max looked down at her hands which were holding her newly given wand. But the wand was now glowing. It was radiating with a bright white light that filled the room up and made Max's hand shake uncontrollably, as if she held a live wire. Max closed her eyes; the light was so bright.

The swirling smoke was now out of control, as the light burned through it, causing it to thin until it had vanished. The light was trying to get somewhere. Then all at once the light was gone. It curled into itself until it had disappeared entirely.

Max opened her eyes, and then closed them again. The light had been so bright. Then there was laughter, loud laughter that filled the small room. Max wanted to see what it was that was so funny. She could use a good laugh. When Max did open her eyes she saw dots of light, she blinked them away and saw immediately what was so funny.

Snape who had once been sitting a chair was now standing. He looked murderess as he fumbled for his wand, wanting to undo the spell that had been cast on him. Because Snape's hair was dripping with grease, rivers of it getting in his eyes, he had to wipe his forehead every few seconds to avoid the grease from filling his mouth.

His long pointed noise was enormous. It was so heavy that Snape could no longer bear the weight, and let the nose fall to the ground with a loud thud! Snape lost his footing and slipped on the puddle of grease that had formed around him. As Snape fell he flung his hand out for anything to grasp. He found a shelf filled with potions.

Max and Harry were bursting with laughter on the verge of tears, as the potions fell one after the other, landing with a small chime as the glass hit the stone floor. A thick purple liquid leaked down Snape's face and all over his frantic hands. He desperately tried to get the old potions off as fast as he could. Before as Max and the rest of the class observed, big red oozing boils began to appear on this face and anywhere the potion had touched him.

"All of you out of my class!" Snape screeched at the top of his lungs, still sitting in the broken potion bottles. "Ride! You will not hear the end of this! Dumbledore will surely know about your little stunt!" But Max did not hear this; she like the other students was already out the door, tears in their eyes, sides hurting and smiles at play.

"Did you see his face?" Ron said trying to keep up with Max as they walked to the common room.

"It was wrong of him not to hear your explanation. Why _were_ you late anyways?" Herminie asked when Harry changed the subject.

"I don't think there has ever been a better prank on Snape than tha-"Harry was cut off as Fred and George appeared behind them, grinning from ear to ear.

"Did we hear something about the best prank on Snape?"They said together looking at each of their friends in turn.

"What happened?" George asked as gleeful smile playing across his lips.

"Who did it?" Fred asked his bright red hair windswept from running to who knows where.

"Was it one of you?" Fred said

Harry nodded.

"Was it you Harry?" Fred looked to Harry expectantly.

"No it was… Max."Harry spoke carefully, not knowing what to tell them. He didn't yet know if he wanted to expose Max for what she really was.

Max turned to look at the twins. They didn't look like they would give her away to Dumbledore. Max did in a way respect him. He had given them a safe place to live, for the time being. She also didn't want to explain to Snape how she did the things she did, because, she didn't know herself.

"It was amazing!" Ron exclaimed he then retold the past events in detail. Describing what had happened to Snape with malice in his voice.

"People don't seem to like Snape, do they?" Max said already knowing the answer.

"Yeah, he's not the best of teachers." Harry replied, a little awkwardly.

"Really I couldn't tell!" Max spoke sarcastically, smiling at her joke.

"Where to next?" Max asked looking over at Herminie who had her nose in a book. Ron steering her, making sure she didn't run into anything.

"…" Herminie didn't answer.

"Hey Herminie Max is talking to you!" Ron shouted, just as Fred and George ran off.

"…" still no answer. Finally Ron wrenched the book out of Herminie's hands, and closed it with a loud bang.

"Oh! What is it Max?" She said looking a little hurt and pulling her hair out of her eyes.

"Where are we going next?"Max wanted to laugh at the scene she had just witnessed. It just seemed so typical and normal, almost comforting to see something for once, act as it should.

"Well to the common room, since we got out early and have about an hour to spare before lunch." She said this as she made a lunge for the book. Ron held it above his head where Herminie couldn't reach.

When they arrived at the common room things began to get a little out of hand, as Fred and Gorge began to sell their puking pastilles.

"What's this?" Max asked as she picked one of the small pastries out of the cardboard boxes.

"They're Puking pastilles, only one galleon each!" Fred and George exclaimed together in their practiced call.

"Puking what, and what's a gall-"Max was about to say before an enormous hawk burst through the open window and landed on the coffee table before them. Pieces of parchment when flying around the room, some into the lit fire place.

"No! My Herbology homework!" some random first year Gryffindor hawk had a letter and a small purse tied to its leg.

"What is that?" asked Harry in such a tone Herminie put down the book she'd been reading.

"I…I think it's an owl!" Ron said.

"Are you all stupid? It's a hawk!" Max said irritably as she kneeled next to the creature. Max untied the letter and the seemingly empty coin purse. The letter said

Dear Maximum Ride,

You may be wondering why you don't hear me anymore. Well the school you are residing in has a protection against electronics. I could only appear for a brief moment during your sorting before I was forced to leave. You may be very confused, but please note that I am not leaving you empty handed.

The empty purse will be filled with the currency used in the wizarding world, whenever you need it. Rest assured that the rest of your _flock _will receive the same kind of bag. The gold coins are worth the most at about seven American dollars. The silver coin is around thirty cents, and the bronze one is less than a penny.

The hawk will bring letters to and from me, please take good care of it.

Voice

Ps: The hawk's name is Rask

Max took the small brown purse and shoved it into the depths of her pocket.

"Well isn't this convenient? I still can't get away from you." Max mumbled under her breath as she crumbled the letter and tossed it into the hungry flames.

"Is something wrong Max?" Herminie asked concern lacing her words.

"No, it's just an annoying friend of mine, checking up on me."

"I've never seen a hawk being used as an owl." Ron asked, looking up to Herminie for reassurance.

Herminie shrugged and said "I guess any bird can be used to deliver mail."

Max began to laugh at the fact that mail was delivered by owl as Ron began to tell the events of potions class that day to anyone who would listen.

"Hey it's time for lunch!" A girl with long black hair shouted over the crowed that had formed.

People immediately began to empty out of the room. They were all pushing and shoving to get to the small hole that served as the doorway out of the common room.

"Aren't you coming Max?" Harry asked, grabbing Max by her wrist, trying to pull her towards the door.

Max looked around the suddenly swelling room, frantic to see someone familiar, unable to see whoever held her wrist. Max searched and searched. Wondering where everyone was. She was feeling like a lost child at the department store. Max's frantic eyes scanned the crowd and stopped upon the face of an eraser. Max froze.

Its fangs were dripping and its claws were out, ready to pounce on her, ready to bite at her throat. Knowing she couldn't fly away here, knowing that if the protections on the school worked to keep things out; that they could keep things in too. The eraser prowled through the crowed, its eyes trained on her. The eraser was ready to kill. Max was filled, no overfilled with fear. Yes she could kill him, but not here. Not where people would question, not where others could get hurt.

Max broke free of the hand that held her wrist and let the people slowly dwindle away, running to the far window and thrust it open. Wind hitting her face and causing papers to fly in all directions. This was too much. How could she just blindly trust these people? She hadn't even checked the protections yet! Hand raised and one foot on the sill she turned to look behind her. Max looked to where the eraser had once been, only to find Harry standing in its place. He was staring at her, confusion streaking his face.

_What's going on? Did he not see it? Did he not notice? How could he not have seen the eraser? _Max thought franticly looking for where it could have gone. She let go of the window pain and let her foot fall to the ground. _Then how could I have see him, and Harry didn't? _Max thought back to what seemed forever ago. When she had woken in a cold sweat. An eraser staring back at her from the mirror. When what seemed to be fur was only smooth skin. _But the voice just said he can't talk to me here! He was the one that had caused that!_ "Then this is my own doing." Max herd herself conclude.

Max stood in the almost empty room. She clutched her arms, trying to rub warmth into them. She tried to get the uncomfortable feeling out, that need to escape. _It was just an illusion! _Max shouted in her mind,_ it wasn't there_. _You only thought it was_. _You're just a little freaked out, about Angle and everything else. _Max tried to tell herself. That she wasn't crazy just stressed.

Right now all she needed was time, time to think and time to test the waters around her. She sat down her head in her hands.

_How could I forget all the danger? How could I forget everything? Acting like you're a student! How could you forget Angel? _Max thought furiously, she was angry at her ignorance.

Harry walked up to Max, who was stone faced and still." Max, are you alright? Are you sick? I can take you to the infirmary if that wound is acting up, because you look pretty pale."

"What?" Max said looking confused. "Oh, um yeah my back it's-" Max touched the ridges of her wings, where the bones had almost healed, she could fly by tonight." I think I'll stay in the common room today." She didn't know what else to say. She couldn't really tell him she was seeing things. Or that she might be going crazy? Or that an eraser might have gotten in here, and no one saw it but her.

When Harry had left the room Max sat down on a plush arm chair. A sigh escaped her as she tried to close her eyes. She tried to sleep for a moment. Because right now she felt exhausted and unable to keep her eyes open for another second. She felt as if the whole world had just collapsed and now she had to put it together again. She felt as if nothing was ever going to be answered and that nothing was ever going to make sense. That she going to have a big battle soon, just the thought of that made her curl up. The fire was nice and warm, and the armchair was soft.

Just as Max closed her eyes Angel's voice rang though her head loud and clear. It made her bolt right up in her seat, eyes wide open with shock. The word Angel on her lips, Max wanted to see Angel's face before her. But she remembered that Angel was gone. The new voice sounded so much like her.

It was a shock, because Max thought she finally had her mind to herself.

_Max it's me, Angel's voice. You might remember me from a few days ago. I used to instruct Angel before she passed away. We need to talk._


End file.
